Anita (Larkins) McDonald and other members of her family plan to renovate a family cemetery that dates back to the early-to-mid 1800s in March next year.

Family members undertook a preservation and cleanup project for the Larkins-Hollowell-Brandon Cemetery in October 2010. But McDonald says they’re looking to do more extensive work this time around, especially since it was desecrated about a year ago. The culprits have not yet been caught.

“The cemetery was in really good shape for years and years. We would come up here and it would be immaculate,” McDonald said. “And then about five years ago, my brother [Patrick Larkins] and I came up here and realized that somebody had stolen the iron gate and a cow had gotten in. And there were a lot of broken stones. And we were just heartbroken.”

The cemetery is located on one acre on Edward Kennedy’s farm on P’Pool Road north of Cadiz. The first grave there dates back to 1843 and honors Miles Hollowell, who fought in the Revolutionary War. The monument to his son Noah Hollowell, who died in 1872, is still the tallest monument in Trigg County at 28 feet, and at the time it cost $2,500.

For the rest of this story, see this week's issue of The Cadiz Record or subscribe to our e-Edition by calling 270-522-6605.